1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a cushioning pad, and several cushioning pads produced by the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cushioning pads, or impact absorbing pads, are well known in the existing art. Impact absorbing pads are used to improve the comfort and ergonomics of many items which interact with humans and animals. Also, impact absorbing pads are useful in dampening vibrations and deadening sound between interacting objects. Typical applications for these pads include sporting gear apparel, seat covers, and shoe insoles and linings.
Typical impact absorbing pads are constructed of a resilient layer of an open-air material, such as foam or polyurethane. The resilient layer is porous and naturally holds air therein. Upon an impact the resilient layer will compress at and adjacent to a point of the impact, as the air therein is removed from the material.
Such open-air material constructions of impact absorbing pads suffer drawbacks. One drawback is that the impact absorption ability of the pad is directly related to its thickness. Often, it is desirable to keep the thickness of the pad to a minimum, such as with shoe insoles, and seat cushions. On the other hand, if the resilient layer is made too thin, the impact absorbing pad will offer insufficient cushioning.
Another drawback is that an uncovered, resilient layer tends to be slow in re-adopting its original shape after being compressed. This is not acceptable in applications like sporting gear. In some sports, the wearer of the impact absorbing pad may be subjected to multiple impacts in quick succession. If the impact absorbing pad is still compressed, or only beginning to re-adopt its original shape, when a next succeeding impact occurs, the wearer of the impact absorbing pad may suffer injury due to insufficient impact absorption. Therefore, these well-known open-air types of impact absorbing pads are unsuitable as protective gear in sports.
Another known type of impact absorbing pad is an encapsulated pad. Encapsulated pads offer a partial solution to the drawbacks of open-air material type cushioning pads. One such product is known as a gel pack, and has enjoyed success in environments such as shoe insoles and bicycle seats.
A gel pack has a liquid or plasma-like material contained within a flexible housing. Due to its sealed encapsulation, an impact upon the gel pack creates a pressure inside the housing. The pressure acts to more quickly restore the gel pack to its original shape after the impact.
Gel-packs also suffer drawbacks. The relatively denser gel does not offer the comfort associated with the air cushioning of an open-air material. This may be due to the observation that the denser gel transfers a larger percentage of an impact to the user. Also, gel-packs are constructed of relatively more heavy and expensive materials.
To this end, a cushion, which encapsulates an air filled resilient member, has been developed. The air filled resilient member offers the comfort level of an open-air material, yet, due to its encapsulation, can regain its original shape more quickly after an impact.
The present inventor has developed a horse saddle cushion having an encapsulated air-filled resilient member. The horse saddle cushion is the subject of U.S. Design Patent 350,420. While the product has enjoyed great success in the marketplace, the inventor has maintained as secret, the method of manufacturing the horse saddle cushion. The method is the key to forming a superior performing cushioning pad, whether the cushioning pad be applied as a horse saddle pad or in any other environment.
Others in the art have tried to manufacture a comparable cushioning pad, having an encapsulated air-filled resilient member. No one, to the knowledge of the inventor, has succeeded to produce such a cushioning pad having the superior performance of the inventor's cushioning pad. The failure has been attributed to the lack of knowledge of the inventor's method of production. To this end, the art could benefit from a disclosure of a method of forming a cushioning pad having an encapsulated air-filled resilient member.